Check out how you can convert scanned PDF documents to editable Word files using our top-of-the-line OCR technology.
Check out how you can convert scanned PDF documents to editable Word files using our top-of-the-line OCR technology.
It may surprise you, but converting files from PDF to Word is actually really easy. The process simply returns the content of your PDF file to its original format.
Scanned documents tend to be a tougher nut to crack, though. Most times, the scans are stored as images, even if you chose PDF as the designated scan format. To turn these PDFs into editable Word documents, you need Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Our online tool offers both options.
How to Convert Scanned PDF to Word Documents Online
Go to the Smallpdf PDF to Word online tool.
Upload your PDF file via drag-and-drop.
Select the option you need——OCR is a Pro feature.
Wait for the conversion to finish.
Download your editable Word file.
Quickly turn your scanned PDFs into editable Word documents with Smallpdf
Converting the scanned PDF file into an editable Word document may take a little longer than the basic conversion. That’s because our OCR needs to recognize each individual character within the scans. On the bright side, being a fast online PDF to Word converter—loved by millions of monthly users—the whole process of converting the file from a scanned PDF to Word still shouldn’t take too long.
Is the Scanned Pdf to Word Converter Free?
All of Smallpdf’s tools are free to use with some limitations—our OCR Word converter is a Pro feature, for example. You can scan to PDF online and convert images, spreadsheets, and PowerPoints to PDF for free, even when these documents are scans. For more information on our Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, specifically regarding converting images into editable Word documents, check out our JPG to Word guide.
Cool, But What Are the Limitations?
Free tasks are limited per day, and some features are only accessible with a Pro subscription. There is a file size limitation of 5 GB, which should be more than enough, even though high-resolution scans may be quite large.
Getting a Smallpdf Pro account will remove the daily task limit and allow you to use the tools as often as you need to convert images to PDF and scanned PDF to Word or to use our scan-to-PDF converter. You can try it out for free with a 7-day free trial first.
Are My Scans Safe?
The utmost security of your files is a guarantee. We’ve recognized the concerns of users when it comes to cloud services from day one. Smallpdf does everything in our power to take care of your files; we use TLS encryption, delete files after one hour, and use the reliable Amazon Web Services to host and handle your documents. For full disclosure, check out our Terms and Privacy page.
Go on, give our scan to PDF converter a try
